Starknet falls over 10% as token holders react to Nostra protocol exploit and operational risks

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Starknet drops 10.27% today to $0.043

Highlights

Nostra lending protocol on Starknet was exploited through a manipulated oracle, causing approximately $3.5 million in losses and raising concerns about six critical mainnet price feeds.
Pending Starknet token unlocks and similar events on other protocols suggest potential dilution risks and heightened volatility for token holders in the coming weeks.
STRK/USD experienced a 10.27% decline to $0.043, with technical signals mixed but an expected five-day trading range of $0.0344 to $0.0655.

Dilution risk rises as token unlocks follow Nostra protocol exploit

On September 17–18, 2026, the Nostra lending protocol on Starknet was exploited for approximately $3.5 million due to a manipulated oracle, leading Pragma to identify six mainnet price feeds as critical risks. Additional volatility in the coming weeks has been signaled by upcoming Starknet token unlocks, as well as similar events across other Layer-1 and Layer-2 protocols, which may contribute to potential dilution risks for current holders. No regulatory actions or confirmed ecosystem upgrades were reported, though price action has remained under broader selling pressure.

Anton Kharitonov, expert at Traders Union, sees STRK's intraday drop as a direct response to heightened operational and protocol risks. He highlights that despite trading above key moving averages, the recent exploit and Pragma's risk flags indicate structural weakness. Technical signals remain bullish, but overbought oscillators and strong selling pressure reveal market fragility. Weakness could intensify if $0.0422 fails to hold. "STRK is trading on borrowed time — any further risk revelation or technical breach may provoke deeper losses," says Kharitonov.

Viktoras Karapetjanc, expert at Traders Union, points out that STRK’s fundamental structure remains firmly in place, even after recent headline risk. He believes the bullish technical framework and strong momentum indicators signal a favorable outlook. The upcoming token unlocks and sector-wide volatility create several attractive setups for active traders. "Despite short-term selling, I expect the bullish structure to drive further growth — this market still rewards opportunity seekers," Karapetjanc states.

Sholanke Dele, market strategist, notes that negative sentiment surged following the Nostra exploit and Pragma’s warnings. He believes confidence is challenged by unresolved risks and dilution concerns from upcoming token unlocks. Macro volatility across DeFi tokens adds pressure. "This is not a market I’d trust for strong rebounds — caution is my main guide here," says Dele.

Bullish momentum holds amid oscillator divergence and intraday volatility

STRK/USD trades above the 20-day, 50-day, and 200-day moving averages (MA-20: $0.0321, MA-50: $0.0279, MA-200: $0.0337), indicating short- and medium-term bullish momentum as well as a longer-term upward bias, though the MA-50 vs MA-200 spread signals lingering bearish sentiment in the background. The pair is finding immediate support at $0.0422 and resistance at $0.0439, with additional cushioning from the Ichimoku Kijun at $0.0376. Momentum remains strong according to MACD and ADX "Buy" signals, while the RSI at 68.92 keeps a bullish tilt. However, the CCI at 190.82 warns of overbought conditions, and the Stochastic RSI delivers a "Strong Sell", highlighting divergence in oscillator readings. Bull/Bear Power at 0.0145 points to sustained buyer dominance, confirmed by a positive "Buy" forecast and trend support from the Awesome Oscillator. STRK/USD is currently trading at $0.043, lower by 10.27% on the day after a sharp gap down near the open, with price near the middle of today's range and intraday volatility at 4.03%. Early session pressure has dominated, with selling prevailing despite broader bullish technical momentum.

Previously it was reported that Starknet faced a sharp price drop and increased volatility following the Nostra protocol exploit, despite maintaining technical strength above key moving averages. The current analysis strengthens that outlook by highlighting both sustained technical support and rising dilution risks from upcoming token unlocks, with attention now focused on potential volatility between $0.0344 and $0.0655 in the next five trading days.

Source of Data: STRK Price Analysis by TU

The analysis is based on a proprietary model combining technical, on-chain, and expert data. Not investment advice. See methodology

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